


I'd Be Home With You

by atomicpixiedust



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21843010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atomicpixiedust/pseuds/atomicpixiedust
Summary: hello and happy yuletide! hope you enjoy!!title is from in a week by hozier
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 65
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	I'd Be Home With You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [useyourtelescope](https://archiveofourown.org/users/useyourtelescope/gifts).



> hello and happy yuletide! hope you enjoy!!
> 
> title is from in a week by hozier

There many great things in Hades life he did not consider his own fault. This entire situation, however, most certainly was.

Poseidon had asked him to come to his kingdom, what the mortals referred to as ‘Atlantis,’ to “discuss some important things.” Hades… didn’t know what to make of that, to put it mildly, other than it being a strange request made even stranger by the officiality of it. Not that he would ever undermine his brother, but… well Hades got the distinct impression that Poseidon didn’t take much of his job seriously. And, in truth, he barely had to. So long as he made sure Demeter was on track, he could pretty much let the rest slide on.

The summons was official, though, which meant that Hades was obliged to go, and he made the necessary preparations immediately.

And some unnecessary ones too, which had led to this current problem of a situation.

“It’s not the worst thing in the world.” Persephone said quietly, breaking a silence he realized he had just been stewing in. “Just sort of an… unfortunate circumstance?”

The ‘it’ she was referring to was their current situation. Upon arriving at their hotel room, Hades and Persephone had discovered they had only been provided with one bed, something Hades had tried, and failed, to amend. According to the bored looking naid at the front desk, every other room was filled. Not even a cot could be made available to them.

Leading to this: Hades and Persephone huddled into the same bed waiting for morning to come.

“It’s not that I am uncomfortable.” Hades said, raking a hand through his hair. “You asked me to not treat you differently than anyone else while you are under my employ. This is highly inappropriate. That’s all.”

“So you bring interns to big important meetings often then?” She smirked at him, her eyebrow raised, “it seems like it’s a little above my pay grade, doesn’t it?”

Hades could feel his ears warming with the blush that spread across his cheeks. She had caught him. “I--er. Yes? In certain circumstances.”

And what had those been? Despite the oddity of the situation, this was really just another boring business meeting. Had Persephone really needed to come? Well, no. But then she had seemed eager at the prospect of going somewhere new, and maybe to also be spending more time with him. At least he thought so. Which was why when it had come time to book the room he had invited her to come along.

“Right, and have you also only booked one room in these special circumstances.” She had rolled over to face him now, propping herself up on her elbow. “Are you sure this wasn’t your plan all along, Mister Hades?”

“Quite sure.” He laughed, despite himself. Resigned to not sleeping any time soon, Hades turned to her. “It does seem that way, though. Doesn’t it? Gods, I told Hecate I didn’t become the God of Wealth’ by spending frivolously.”

And the look that Hecate had given him after that statement. Somewhere between wondering how he could possibly think this was a good idea and wondering how he hadn’t thought of this sooner. He had half a mind to be offended, but hadn’t said anything more about it. She was on the list of People Who Absolutely Could Not Find Out About This.

“Considering I could have just as easily stayed with my mother, and you with your brother, and you would have saved even more money, yes. Yes it does.”

“I can tell you’ve never had the pleasure of staying with my brother, then.” He was overselling it a bit. Staying with Poseidon would have been much more preferable to Zeus, but she didn’t have to know that.

“But seriously, don’t be so hard on yourself! It’s an honest mistake.” She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, before looking back to him, then leaning in closer and murmured conspiratorially, “besides, I could think of worse places to be. And it’s not like I’m planning on attacking you in your sleep.”

Hades propped himself up on his elbow, bringing their faces to the same height. “Would that you were.”

Persephone blushed, but didn’t move away. “What was it you were saying about this situation being ‘unprofessional?’”

“You know, I can’t quite remember.”

They were forehead to forehead now. Persephone searched his eyes for a long moment before tilting her chin just so to press their lips together.

She was like a warm breath of… well, Spring, and Hades couldn’t stop himself from melting into her touch. He melted into the kiss he had wanted so desperately ever since he had first seen her. 

Then all at once, his fear froze him up again. Every thought slamming back down with a resounding ‘NO.’ He pulled away and sat up quickly.

“Kore-- I-- I can’t.”

Why not?

With Minthe, there hadn’t been feelings. Not real ones. None that hadn’t been stomped out long before their inevitable breakup. There were feelings here. Feelings he was bound to hurt, or break, or worse.

But the strongest was fear. What would he do if he hurt her? He couldn’t bear the thought.

“I-- oh gods, I am so sorry.” Persephone was up, pulling herself away and putting too much distance between the two of them. She stood there, horror painted on her face. “I didn’t mean-- I thought… I thought you wanted to. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I promise.”

“No! No, that’s not what I-- it isn’t what I meant.” He had reached out to her, to try to pull her back to him, but his fear caught hold of his heart again, and in response his hand fell uselessly to his side. “I-- I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You… want to hurt me?”

“That’s the problem. I don’t. But I will. I know I will.” The words that had been repeated to him too many times to count, the crux of his fears, spilled out. “I am my father’s son. I will destroy everything I love.”

Love. Could he call it that now? The word hung in the air, reflected in Persephone’s awed expression. Too far, he realized too late, much too far.

“How can you believe that?” Persephone asked quietly as she settled back at his side.

“It’s the truth?” It was a question, but not the one he wanted to ask. Why wasn’t she pulling away? Why was she still here?

“It is not. All you’ve ever done since I met you is protect me. Even when I was being stupid and naieve, you kept me safe.” Her smile was warm and yet sad. Concerned. “All you have ever been is kind.”

“I-- You may believe that. I don’t. You still barely know me. You don’t--” Her reasoning was sound, but the fear still clung to his mind, weaving a thousand possibilites where he hurt her, messed her up, worse. Worse. Worse. Her expression made the guilt bubble up in his throat. He looked away. “You don’t know me.”

“I want to know you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Her hand was on his cheek, gently pulling his face back to her, meeting his eyes. It lingered there, cradling his jaw so tenderly he could barely stand it, her thumb tracing his cheekbone. “I know you want to protect me, but how am I supposed to do that if you don’t take that chance? If you won’t show me?”

“I can’t promise you’ll like what you find.” His hand joined hers and, gods, he wanted this. Hadn’t even realized how badly he needed a touch so gentle it threatened to absolutely destroy him.

“Neither can I, but I’m willing to take that chance.” For you. For him. “So long as you are.”

“I… would like that very much.” 

“But! Even if this doesn’t work out, and we have to go our separate ways, can you promise we’ll still be friends?” The woman who, moments ago, had seemed so set and sure of herself was suddenly self-conscious. “It’s just that I really like having you as a friend and I wouldn’t want to lose that at all. Even if you are still my boss.”

Hades smiled despite himself. An entire mess was laid before her and she was worried about him wanting to keep her around?

“I think I can manage that.”

“You have to promise!” Persephone’s hand left his face, and was stuck in front of him, pinky out.

“... Really?”

“Yes!”

Hades barked a laugh, in spite of everything, and brought his pinky to curl around hers. “I promise.”

A promise. It was, in a practical sense, so much less than he had before, and yet so much more.

“You know,” he said, deciding that if he was going to be greedy he may as well go all out, “I would like to kiss you again. For real this time.”

“I think that can be arranged.”


End file.
